Attachment for lawn-rakes



C. G. LUNDSTROM.

ATTACHMENT FOR LAWN RAKES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 2s, 1920.

Patented Mar. 15,1921.

(ZarZeJ 6 zuflaifi'rom altar/Mega -CHARLES Gr. LUN'DSTROM', OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

ATTACHMENT FOB, LAVJ'N-RAKES.

-Application filed October 25, 1920.

tachment'ior' rakes, and has for its object to provide "novel .devi'cetor removing leaves and grassltrom teeth of the rake, promotingthe effectiveness of the rake and permitting it to be d rawn through the grass more easily. h

Another object of the invention'is to generally improve upon devices of this class by providing one "of extreme simplicity and durability which is automatic in operation, is extremely easyto attach and detach and is very inexpensiveto both the manufac-- turer and the user. Ether objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following descript1on.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a top plan view of a conventional type of lawn rake with my improved cleaning attachment associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking toward the rake head, showing the improved cleaner in its normal position.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on the planes of lines 33 and l4l respectively of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a slightly modified form of my invention.

Briefly described, the attachment comprises a pair of spaced parallel cleaner-bars which are adapted for disposition on 0pposed sides of the teeth of the rake, and pivotally mounted retaining means for the bars. This pivotally mounted retaining means facilitates the attachment and detachment of the device.

Referring to the drawings,-wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is clearly illustrated, it will be seen that the numerals 1 and 2 designate a pair of flat metal bars or strips arranged in parallelism Specification of Letters latent.

. atentcd Mar. 15, 1921.

Serial No. 219,32...

to oue another and held in spaced relation ship by means or' a plurality or" spacing Sleeves 3, whlch are soldered or otherwise connected thereto. At this point, T wish to mention that these sleeves 3 not only serve the above function, but they also serve the additional functions of constituting stops for limiting the upward movement oi the cleaner bars, and, in view of the fact that they are positioned between some of the teeth, they assist in removing the undesirable particles from the teeth. These cleaner bars are held in position on the rack head by novel retaining means, preferably in the form of loops l. These loops are composed of strips of metal bent into substantial U- shaped formation, and the freeends of the strips are aperture'd and positioned in alinem nt with the aforementioned sleeves 3, suitable means being passed through these apertures and sleeves for pivotally connecting these strips to the bars 1- and 2. By preference the fastening means which I employ is in the form of bolts and nuts 5 and {6 respectively. With this construction it is possible to remove the members 4. whenever desired or necessary, and at the same time, this construction serves as an effective pivotal mounting for these members.

y referring to F 5, a slightly modified form of the invention may be seen. In this hours, the same type of cleanerbars is employed and they are held in spaced relation by the novel sleeves already described. The only diii'erence or construction disclosed in this figure resides in the retaining members 4;, which are so cent as to accommodate the for use in connection with rakes having curved teeth. At this point I mention, as before intimated, the employment of bolts 5 enables me to make use of either the retaining members disclosed in Figs. 1 to t inclusive, or the type of retaining members disclosed in the figure under consideration. If desirable, the lower edges of the cleaner-bars may he directed tOWfiIClGZLCh other in the manner shown in this figure to effect a more thorough removal of the weeds.

The operation of the attachment is as follows: As the rake is drawn through the grass, the grass will move the cleaner-bars l and 2 to their uppermost position where the sleeve 3 will be in engagement with the lower edge of the rake head. These bars will remain in position until the rake is lifted and moved by the operator to a new starting place. As soon as the rake has been once lifted thebars will, because of their own weight, move to the position disclosed in Fig. 2 and will thus remove all weeds and brush from the teeth of the rake. Should the weeds become hung on the teeth in such a manner as to prevent operation of the cleaner-bar's, the rake head may be inverted and the members 4 brought into engagement with the ground. Then, by exerting a downward push on the rake head, the cleaner-bars will be brought into operation and the weeds or brush easily removed. t is obvious, from the drawings, that in order to attach the device, it is only necessary to move the retaining loops into a substantial alinement with the cleaner-bars, place the latter on opposite sides of the teeth in the manner disclosed, and then swing the loops up over the upper edge of the rake head. I Y

Careful consideration of the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings should be sufficient to enable persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates to obtain a clariunderstandingofthe same, therefore, a more lengthy description is deemed unnecessary.

- Since probably the best results may be ob- V tained with the construction and arrangement shown and described, this construction and arrangement is taken as the referred embodiment of my invention. owever, I wish it to be understood that various minor changes in shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the adjoined claim.

I claim: A rake cleaner attachment comprising a pair of separate gravity-lowered cleanerbars adapted for disposition on opposite sides of the rake teeth, spacing sleeves between said bars, constituting stops to limit the upward movement. of. the latter, and also forming meansto assist in the cleaning operation, a pair of metal straps bent into inverted U-shape and having their freeends in contact with the outer sides of said bars and provided with apertures alined with said sleeves, and bolts passing through said apertures and sleeves, to secure all the parts together and to frictionally bind said straps against said cleaner-bars while permitting the straps to be swung either over the rake head for holdin the device in position thereon or away mm the rake head to permit detachment of the device from the latter. i

In testimony'whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1

CHARLES G. LUNDSTROM. 

